Senator Hutchison Opposes Mandated Withdrawal From Iraq

Statement

SENATOR HUTCHISON OPPOSES MANDATED WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ

Legislation would send the wrong signal to our troops and our enemies

Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX), Chairman of the Republican Policy Committee, today released the following statement after opposing the conference report on the war supplemental funding bill that mandates a date for the withdrawal of troops from Iraq:

"I opposed this bill because it will greatly harm our ability to fight and win the War on Terror, by undermining our brave troops who have sacrificed so much to keep us safe and free. It puts a target on the backs of our troops by proposing a date to surrender.

"What kind of signal does this send to our fighting men and women? What kind of signal does this send to our enemies?

"President Bush has acknowledged that we have not produced the success we need in Iraq, and because of that, he has chosen a new course of action for victory. I believe that the president, as the Commander-in-Chief, has the constitutional right to pursue this new strategy.

"We should allow General David Petraeus - a man whose judgment was good enough for Congress to unanimously approve as commander of U.S. forces in Iraq just three months ago - a chance to implement his strategy for success.

"This supplemental does contain important economic provisions for Texas families and businesses, and I will work with my colleagues to preserve those provisions in a final bill that is consistent with our national security priorities."

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